Old Faces, New Souls
by Wild Force Ranger
Summary: Toxica's new weapon-and a warning from Animus-spell trouble for the Rangers as they realise they can't trust anyone...even each other... Allies, Book 3 COMPLETED
1. Default Chapter

There be a really long fic here!

Sorry. This fic is really long, though; even longer than Unexpected Ally, and I thought that was long. Again, not much action; there's a hint of a fight at the beginning, and another near the end. I just can't seem to write it for some reason…sorry…

Old Faces, New Souls

"Cole! Cole, wait up!"

Tara had to run to catch up with Cole; the Lion Ranger had a _long _stride, when he used it.

"Cole!" Finally, she was close enough to touch his arm. Cole turned, surprised.

"Tara. Hey-I didn't see you."

"No kidding. You walk _fast, _Cole. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just thinking." 

"Anything in particular?"

"No." Tara nodded, accepting his silence, and glanced around them. "What's wrong?"

"Hmm?" She looked back at him. "Oh…nothing much. Wes is still after me about that job. With the Guardians?"

Cole nodded quickly. "Tell him you don't want it."

"I have. Many times. He doesn't seem to want to accept it."

"You want me to talk to him?"

"Nah, Merrick already tried. No offense, but he's scarier than you are."

"None taken. Can't you just…" he gestured. "Not be where he is?"

"Not any more." She looked around again. "I blocked all the Rangers out. I can't sense you any more."

"What?" he caught her arm, turning her to look at him. "Why would you do that?"

"Privacy."

"Privacy." he repeated flatly.

"Your privacy. I can track you anywhere on Earth…I can hear you talk, if I want. I think you and the others have earned the right to your privacy." When he didn't answer, she added, "I can track you, but not when I'm moving and only on earth, wood or rock. No concrete or water or anything."

"And…can you still talk to me?"

"Yes. I don't need to know where you are for that. And you can still talk to me. I just won't know automatically where you are."

Cole studied her for a long minute. "Thank you."

She shrugged. "Not a big deal." Looking around once more, she nodded. "OK-I'm going back to work now."

"Come to the Animarium tonight." Cole invited her.

"Sure. I'll let you know when I'm finished."

"Great. See you then."

"Later, Cole." She waved as she headed back towards the mall. Cole continued towards the park. He'd almost reached it when…

Toxica, Jindrax and a group of Putrids appeared in front of him, blocking his path. Cole jerked to a halt, dropping into a defensive stance.

"I knew today was too good to last." he growled.

"We want you to meet our new friend, Red Ranger." Toxica told him.

"No thanks! Your friends and I don't get on." He shifted as he spoke, trying to keep as many Putrids as possible in view.

"I think you'll like this one." Jindrax said. The Putrids swarmed Cole, who fought back as best he could. The numbers were against him, though, and he was soon on his knees, restrained. Toxica stepped behind him, twined her fingers in his hair, and pulled, forcing his head back. Cole stared wide-eyed at the newest Org to join the battle.

********************************************************************************

When the others arrived a few minutes later, Cole was back on his feet, fighting off Toxica and Jindrax.

"Where's the Org?" Danny called, looking around.

"It vanished when you left the Animarium." Shayla told them.

"Cole!" Alyssa called. "Morph!"

"I can't!" he yelled back, half turning to look at her. The move cost him; Toxica smashed his side with her staff, and he collapsed, gasping for breath.

"Cole!" The Rangers flanked him, pushing Toxica and Jindrax back, and Alyssa knelt beside him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah…just give me a second…"

"Can you morph?" Taylor asked, not looking at him; she was watching Toxica closely.

"Toxica's got some new weapon-pulled me right out of morph." He groaned, slumping slightly.

"Cole, you have to stand up at least." Alyssa said. He shook his head, but before he could say anything Danny was standing over him. The Bison Ranger got him on his feet.

"Toxica, what are you waiting for? Shoot them!" Jindrax said suddenly.

"You idiot! I told you, it only works on the Red Ranger so far!"

"Oh." Jindrax scratched his head. "Think they know that?"

"They do now, you…you…" Words failed Toxica and she attacked the Rangers.

"Cole, stay there!" Taylor ordered over her shoulder.

"But…"

"You can't fight that way." Alyssa reminded him. "Call Merrick." And with that she was gone, into the battle.

Call made, Cole prowled the outskirts of the battle, trying to avoid it while still watching. When Merrick arrived he came to Cole first.

"What's wrong?"

"Help them…I'll explain later." Cole promised, gesturing to the fight. Merrick nodded, morphed, and entered the fight.

With Merrick's arrival, Toxica decided she didn't like the odds any more; she teleported herself away, Jindrax following. The Rangers demorphed and came back towards Cole, who'd collapsed in a heap as soon as he realized they were gone.

"Are you OK?" Alyssa asked, kneeling beside him.

"Yeah, I think so."

"What happened?" Merrick asked.

"Toxica has this new weapon-it was like she was pulling energy right out of me. I couldn't hold my morph." He looked up at Merrick. "You got here fast."

Merrick frowned. "Tara called me. She said you had called her."

"Yeah." Cole pressed one hand against his forehead. "I did, didn't I."

"You sure you're OK?" Max asked.

"I'm _fine." _Cole said quickly. "Let's just get back to the Animarium, OK?"

"Sure." Alyssa said. "We'll get Princess Shayla to check you out, OK?" Cole nodded, following them towards the trees.

I'm going on holiday next weekend; should I post early or wait till I come back?


	2. Attack Aftermath

Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry I was gone for so long; health problems.

Nothing really to note in this chapter, thanks everyone who reviewed the last one. Add, welcome back; nice holiday? Tell me everything, I'm a nosy bugger.

In case it wasn't clear enough in the last chapter, everyone, this is part of a series; if you haven't read the other stories this probably won't mean much to you.

I'm now posting on my very own website; you can't get a sneak peak because I'm not even caught up yet, but you can, if you want, get a vague sense of where the series is going. Also, check out the MSTery Inc section; administered by my friend Purple Astro, it's a MSTing of the extended Lord of the Rings. Great stuff; not finished yet, but shows real promise. The addy's in my profile, but it's not working for some odd reason; copy it into your address bar instead.

Wow, longest Author's Note ever!

Chapter 2: Attack Aftermath

When they reached the Animarium, Cole sank into a chair at the table.

"What happened?" Shayla asked.

"Toxica has a new weapon." Cole told her. Folding his arms, he leaned his head down.

"Are you all right?" Shayla asked, concerned. Cole didn't move.

"He says it drained all his energy, so much that his morph collapsed." Taylor explained.

"But he doesn't think he's hurt." Max added. "Just real tired."

Shayla nodded. "Did she get anyone else?"

"It only works on Cole so far." Danny supplied.

"Can you keep it down?" Cole asked, raising his head with an effort. "I'm trying to sleep."

"You can't sleep there, Cole." Shayla smiled.

"I bet I can." His head dropped again. A muffled 'ow' came from between his arms.

"Come on, Cole." Danny said. "I'll give you a hand." He hauled the protesting Lion Ranger out of the clearing.

"Do you think he'll be OK?" Alyssa asked.

"I'm sure he will." Shayla said reassuringly. "Like Max said, he doesn't seem hurt. Just tired."

"He'll be fine." Taylor told her.

Cole hadn't reappeared by diner time; Max went to investigate and reported he was asleep.

"Do you want me to wake him?" the Shark Ranger asked.

"No. Let him sleep." Shayla said. "It's what he needs right now."

"OK." Max agreed.

Dinner without Cole was subdued, and no one ate very much.

A little later Taylor's growlphone rang.

"Taylor."

"Taylor. It's Merrick. Tara wants to go to the Animarium; can someone come and get her?"

"Sure, Merrick. You're at Willie's?"

"Yeah…I have to work or I'd bring her. How is Cole?"

"Still asleep."

"Ah-that explains it." He paused for a second before going on, "Tara says to tell you you won't recognize her when you get here."

"Why not? Never mind." Taylor interrupted herself. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

"All right."

Taylor rose to her feet. "I'm just going to get Tara." she announced. Alyssa nodded absently.

"Do you want me to go?" Max asked.

"No, she's at Willie's. I won't be long." She left, and the Rangers sat in silence for a minute until Alyssa said suddenly, "I hope Cole's all right."

"If this weapon did take his energy, the best thing he could be doing is sleeping." Shayla reassured her.

"I just wish he'd wake up."

"Wish who would wake up?" Cole came into the clearing. He still looked tired, but not as tired as before.

"Cole!" Alyssa threw herself into his arms. "How are you?"

"Tired." He returned the hug, smiling. "But fine." He looked around, letting Alyssa go. "Where's Taylor?"

"She went to get Tara." Shayla told him.

"Tara." Cole repeated, and then nodded quickly. "Yeah…she said she'd be up tonight. I'd forgotten."

"You hungry?" Alyssa asked. "You missed dinner."

"Yeah. Thanks."

Merrick was standing by the counter when Taylor entered Willie's, talking to Willie and a woman Taylor's age. Taylor skirted the tables, ignoring the whistles she was getting, and came to stand next to Merrick.

"Merrick."

"Taylor." He turned to Willie. "I'll be back in a minute." Tapping the woman on the shoulder, he led Taylor out and around to the side of the building, where they could have relative privacy.

"Turn that off now." he said to the woman, gesturing vaguely at her. She smiled, looking at Taylor.

"He doesn't like me to look like this. He finds it disconcerting."

"Tara?" Taylor asked. The woman was older, but her face was still Tara's…almost. Her eyes were blue rather than green, though, and her hair was short and dark instead of long and blond.

"Yes. It's still me." The older features blurred, reforming into Tara's.

Taylor shuddered. "How do you do that?"

"Glamour. I'm an Elf, remember?" She looked over at Merrick. "Taylor doesn't think it's disconcerting, Merrick."

"Yes she does." Merrick disagreed.

"Taylor's standing right here." Taylor pointed out.

"So she is." Tara agreed.

"She's been like this all evening." Merrick told Taylor.

"What? Giddy and annoying?"

"Hey!" Tara objected.

"Let's just go back to the Animarium, OK? Maybe Cole's woken up by now." Taylor said.

"OK." Tara said obediently. "Merrick?"

"I'm working." Merrick answered automatically.

"Oh. Yeah. I forgot." She grinned. "See you soon, then."

"Yeah." Taylor waved as they turned away.

Cole had finished eating by the time they reached the temple and was slouched on one of the branches around the clearing. Tara moved across to stand directly under him.

"Well?"

"Hey, Tara." He waved without sitting up.

"Hey, Tara? That's all you're gonna say?"

"What?" He looked at the Rangers. "What'd I do?"

"I've been calling you for ages!"

"I was asleep!" He looked to Alyssa for support.

"He was asleep, Tara. He only woke up just after Merrick called."

"Oh." Tara folded her arms. "Well, all right then."

"Oh? I'm forgiven?"

"I suppose." Cole slid down from the branch.

"Well, good. I wouldn't want you to be mad at me."

"Damn straight." Tara looked at him. "How are you? Really?"

"Fine. Just tired." Cole grinned. "Really." Tara nodded slowly.

"All right. So are we partying?"

"We're just talking tonight." Danny said. 

"What, no marshmallows?"

"No marshmallows." Max said with a smile.

"OK. I can live with that." Tara settled herself into the circle, leaning against the temple wall and gazing into the fire. "So what are we talking about?"

__

Pssst: That note at the top was a cry for visitors to my website. Please? It's good…honest…it really is…


	3. Mistaken Identity

Author's note: So, clearly plugging my website was the wrong thing to do, since I got no reviews—possibly also a product of my odd updating time. Stupid computer.

Sorry, Dominic, I did mean you. I only get online like once a week, so I get mixed up sometimes…please do let me know. Like I said, I'm a nosy bugger. And go see my site J !

Um…nothing else to say, really. Enjoy!

Mistaken Identity

"Alyssa! Alyssa!"

Two days had passed since the attack. Cole had slept through the night and proclaimed himself all better the next day. Tara had, as she sometimes did, vanished into the ether; no one had seen or heard her since she'd gone home that night. Cole didn't seem worried about it, and neither did Merrick, so the others didn't worry either. They were busy worrying about Cole instead.

Since the attack he'd been a little off; quieter than usual. Shayla told them Red Lion had noticed it too, but didn't know what was wrong. He tended to wander off on his own a lot, but when they questioned him he just said he was thinking. And he _was _careful to bring his growlphone so they could reach him if they had to, so they couldn't really say anything.

Still, Alyssa had been worried about it, so when he called her now she turned to meet him.

"Cole! What are you doing here?"

"I was…" he gestured vaguely. "I saw you. You're finished class?"

"Yeah. One of my teachers was out sick."

"Oh." He nodded, ambling along beside her. "Hey! Can I show you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"It's a surprise." Catching her hand, he pulled her along through the park.

"Hey…Cole, slow down. You're hurting me!" Immediately he let go, turning back to face her.

"Sorry! Sorry. I just…I really want to show you this."

"OK. But let's take it a bit slower, all right? It's not going anywhere, is it?"

"No. It'll wait for us."

"OK. So let's take it slow." He nodded.

"OK."

Twenty minutes later he stopped.

"What's wrong, Cole?"

"Nothing! Shut your eyes."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a surprise. Shut your eyes." Moving around behind her, he covered her eyes with one hand and caught her wrists with the other.

"Cole…" At the uncertainty in her voice, his grip loosened.

"Don't you trust me?"

"You know I trust you. But…" She sighed softly. "Cole, this is…I don't…" His grip loosened again; he was barely touching her now.

"Oh. I hadn't thought…Sorry, Alyssa. It doesn't matter."

"No, it's…all right." Cole's grip tightened just slightly.

"All right?"

"Yeah. Just…don't let me walk into anything, OK?"

"I promise." He tightened his grip once more, leading her carefully.

"Are we nearly there?"

"Almost-we're going off the grass now."

"Where are we?" Alyssa asked, hearing gravel underfoot.

"That's the surprise."

"It's cold!"

"Yeah. Nearly there…" Alyssa stopped as he stopped and guided her until her back pressed against rock.

"Cole, where are we?"

"You can look now." He took his hand away from her eyes but stayed standing very close beside her. Alyssa looked around and saw a cave—with bars blocking off small niches—and in one of those niches—

Alyssa looked up at Cole, and then back at the niche.

"You're not…you're…"

"Not really Cole? Yeah, I know." Cole laughed. "Kind of my deepest darkest secret. Although Cole here? He has some _very_ interesting secrets."

"Who _are_ you?" Alyssa was torn between backing away and kneeling beside Cole, slumped on the floor of a niche.

"You haven't figured it out? I'm hurt!"

"You're the Org. From two days ago. The one who disappeared."

"See? I knew you could do it."

"What did you do to Cole?"

"Copied his memories. Brought him here. I came back, just before I met you, and hit him on the head. Couldn't have him yelling and warning you, could I?" The Org gestured to Alyssa's left, and she saw an open niche. "Don't make me have to make you, Alyssa. Just step inside."

"Don't touch her." Both turned to see Cole dragging himself to his feet.

"I'm not going to. Not if she behaves herself." The Org gestured again to the niche. Cole took a step forward and grabbed the bars in front of him; they sparked and he jumped, letting go and moving backwards.

"I did tell you the first time, Cole." 

"Don't touch her! Alyssa?"

"Cole, it's OK." Alyssa backed quickly into the niche. "It's OK. He didn't touch me." The Org did something and bars came down from above, sealing her niche.

"Give me your growlphone."

"No!"

"Keep your crystals. I don't care. Just give me your growlphone."

"Alyssa, give him your growlphone." Cole was watching them carefully.

"What? No!"

"Alys…" Cole took a step forward-a step too far, as it brought him into contact with the bars. The spark was bigger, this time, and it drove him to his knees.

"You don't have to touch the bars for that to happen." the Org told Alyssa. "Just give me the damn phone." Alyssa looked back at Cole before pulling her growlphone from her pocket and holding it out carefully. The Org reached between her bars and took it from her hand.

"Thank you." He turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Alyssa asked.

"Back to the Animarium." He gestured around, grinning. "My collection's not complete yet. Oh…and Tara can't find you here." Cole inhaled sharply, and the Org turned to look at him. "Your memories were very helpful when we were designing this place. There's plastic in the foundations, covered in cement. Tara can't sense through those." 

"She doesn't need to sense us. She'll find us anyway." Alyssa said loudly.

"I don't think so." The Org grinned. "Well, have fun you two. And Cole? Remember the current in the bars gets stronger each time you touch it. Keep going the way you have been and you'll kill yourself."

And with that he left.

"Are you all right?" Cole asked immediately. Alyssa nodded.

"What about you? There's blood on your face…"

"Oh…" he reached up to touch it as though surprised it was there. "He hit me. It's not bad. Alyssa, the others think he's me?"

"We haven't seen him very much." Alyssa said semi-defensively. "He slept for the first day, and he's been really quiet since then-up in the trees, usually."

"No, I'm not blaming you, I just…you heard him. He's going to keep grabbing us."

"They'll catch on." Alyssa told him. "He's not you, Cole. Sooner or later he'll make a mistake. They'll figure it out."

Cole looked up at her. "You didn't."

Alyssa took a step back without thinking. "I didn't have _time, _Cole. He's avoiding us as much as he can. But he won't be able to keep doing that; it's not you, and it'll make the others suspicious."

"You didn't notice." Cole repeated dully, looking away. "Of all the Rangers, you didn't notice."

"I'm sorry." Alyssa whispered. "I'm sorry, Cole."


	4. Missing Friends

Author's note: Hey guys. Short chapter this week, I'm afraid, sorry. Andrea, thanks for looking at my site; as far as I can tell you're the only person who did. Dani, I like Cole/Alyssa; I think they go really well together. But you're right, Cole's upset; wait for the Aftermath series, coming after this story.

Missing Friends

"Tara?"

Tara looked up, surprised, as Cole moved through the warehouse towards her. The Rangers knew where she worked, but they'd never come here before.

"Cole. What's wrong?" He looked worried, she thought absently, leaning against the stack of boxes beside her.

"Alyssa's missing. She left college early today and no one's seen her since then."

"Have you called her?" He held up her growlphone.

"I found it in the park. Princess Shayla's asked the elephant and tiger, and they say she still has her crystals. But they don't know where she is."

"That doesn't make sense. If Mandilock took her he'd take her crystals. But she'd never put her growlphone down." She frowned, thinking.

"Can you track her?" Cole asked.

"Yeah, but not from in here. Come on." She took him through the warehouse and out the back entrance. A single tree stood in the middle of the small yard.

"Why is there a tree here?" Cole asked.

"It's always been there." Tara said, moving towards it. Cole glanced around, frowning, and she looked back at him. "What?"

"Wes is outside. The Silver Guardians are looking. Can you do this?"

"It'd be quicker if you helped me. You know Alyssa better than I do."

"Can you do it? I have to talk to Wes." Tara bit her lip.

"Yee-ess. I can. Hurry up, then. I'll be out in a minute." He nodded, hurrying out of the yard, and she turned to the tree, laying her hand against the bark.

__

Merrick?

That was a long shot, she knew; Merrick would have to be on earth or rock and reasonably receptive to hear her, which meant he'd have to be listening. So she was surprised to sense him listening.

__

You know about Alyssa?

A mental nod.

__

Merrick, is something wrong with Cole? There was a silence, and she made a face at herself and added, _Other than the obvious._

No-why? 

She shrugged, only barely remembering to send him the movement. _He seems a little…off. Maybe it's me. Can you find her?_

Merrick shook his head.

__

Try the park? Cole found her growlphone there. Tara sighed slightly. _You guys never get a break, do you?_

Merrick sent her a mental smile.

__

Gee, Merrick, that just made my day. I have to go…call me if you find anything.

I will. The contact faded until she couldn't sense him at all, and with a faint sigh she started searching for the White Ranger's essence.

Cole was talking quietly with Wes when she came out of the yard, and she made her way across to the van.

"Anything?" Cole asked her.

"No. She was in the park earlier but she vanished. Just totally vanished. I need to talk to Princess Shayla, Cole."

"Why?"

"I need to know something. It's important."

"Do you want me to talk to your boss?" Wes asked, gesturing at the building.

"Damn!" Tara hissed, glancing back at the building. "Would you? It'd help. Thanks, Wes. I'll be back later on, probably."

"You'll be back tomorrow." Wes said firmly. "Go on." Tara nodded again and turned to Cole, who gestured her away from the warehouses.

"Cole." Wes called as they turned away. Cole looked back. "We'll find her. Don't worry. Alyssa's tough." Cole nodded and headed quickly after Tara, leaving Wes to go placate her manager.

"Princess Shayla?" Cole called as they entered the courtyard.

"She's not here." Danny spoke up.

"Danny. What are you doing here?" Cole asked.

"I tripped over something in the park. Taylor sent me back to clean up." He gestured with one hand-the other was full of bandages-to his side. A long but shallow cut lay along his ribs.

"Nasty." Tara said, leaning over and touching him just above the cut. "It's not infected, as far as I can tell. Here…" she took the bandages from him.

"Where's the Princess?" Cole asked.

"She went to the park. Something was happening down there, she said." Danny hissed as Tara wrapped his ribs for him.

"What was happening?"

"She didn't know. Not an Org, she thought, but something important. Ouch!"

"Hold still." Tara said unrepentantly.

"What are you doing?"

"Hold still, I said." She considered for a second before adding, "This is gonna feel warm for a minute."

"Why? What are you doing?"

"Making sure it's not infected."

"How?" Cole asked.

"By raising your temperature slightly. It'll kill off any bugs lurking in your system."

"We don't have time for this." Cole muttered, turning to pace away.

"Better to take a minute now then have Danny collapse later."

"It's nothing, Tara, really." Danny gently nudged her away and pulled his top back down over the bandage.

"Big tough Rangers." Tara muttered in disgust. "All right, then. Cole, can we go?"

"Yeah." 

Danny scrambled to follow them. "What do you mean, 'big tough Rangers'?"

"Big, tough Rangers refusing to admit when they're hurt or accept help." She peeled away from him as they reached the park, searching for Princess Shayla.

"She's over there." Cole pointed to her left, and she turned, automatically following his lead. The Princess was talking quietly with Merrick, ignoring, as always, the people staring at her. Tara headed towards them without looking back.

"{Princess.}" She saw Merrick start at the Animarian, but she didn't hesitate. "{Can Orgs create pocket dimensions?}"

"I don't understand." Shayla protested.

"{The old enemies here created pocket dimensions, places only they could get to. Places not part of the earth.}" Tara stared at her. "{Can Orgs do that? Other than the Nexus?}"

"Maybe…"

"{Please.}" Tara cut her off. "{Animarian. Humor me.}"

"{Cole knows Animarian.}" Merrick pointed out. "{There's no one else around.}" Tara nodded impatiently; Cole had picked up scraps of Animarian from the three of them and could hold a very limited conversation.

"{Not enough, he doesn't. Please?}" Shayla nodded patiently.

"{Toxica might be able to make these dimensions. Master Org certainly would; he created the Nexus, after all. But I don't think any other Org could.}"

"Thank you." Tara murmured, turning away. "That's what I thought."

"Tara?" Merrick caught her arm.

"Alyssa vanished earlier. Just vanished. I can't track her…and you don't have teleportation. I can't think what else it could be."

"What is it?" Cole demanded. He'd been waiting more or less patiently as they talked.

"I told you." Tara wasn't looking at him as she spoke. "Alyssa vanished earlier. The only thing I can think is that an Org's opened a pocket dimension." Cole flinched.

"You mean Alyssa may not even be on Earth?"

Tara nodded. "I can show you where she disappeared, but that's all I can do. Pocket dimensions are not my department." Cole nodded distractedly.

"Show us." Merrick said, when Cole didn't speak. Tara nodded and wandered away, pausing every so often to touch a tree lightly in passing.


	5. Warnings

Author's note: Dominic, what would I do without you? My most faithful reviewer…that part you asked me for is being written, and will appear. I promise.

Just to clarify; at this point, the Rangers know who Animus is. This takes place just before Monitoring Earth; so they know who he is, but he hasn't done that climatic showdown thing. (Sorry, I saw all these episodes out of order, so I know what happened but not when…damn work!)

Chapter Five: Warnings

"Cole?"

Cole took a minute to answer. "Yeah, Alyssa."

The dull tone was still in his voice, and Alyssa winced slightly. "Do you think they'll find us?"

He shrugged. "Tara can track you to where you vanished. They'll figure out where we are. I just don't know if they'll be able to get here."

"Cole." she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"You said that."

"I meant it. I really am. I don't know what…I wasn't thinking, I'm…"

"Alyssa." He sat up, cutting her off in mid-sentence. "Don't worry about it. I'm not blaming you."

"Has he brought food, Cole?"

"I haven't been hungry." 

Alyssa stared at him. "It's been two days. You haven't been hungry at all?"

"No. Or thirsty, or tired. It doesn't seem to matter here."

"I don't…" she frowned. "I don't see how that would work."

"It does, though." He shrugged again. "I guess he doesn't want us dying before he gets to do it."

"Cole…" Alyssa moved as close to the bars as she dared. "Don't give up. The others will find us. OK?"

"Never give up." Cole muttered, repeating Danny's phrase.

"Yeah." Alyssa nodded firmly. "Never give up."

"This is it." Tara wrapped her arms around herself. "She vanished from here."

"Was she alone?" Cole asked, taking a few steps forward.

"I don't sense anyone, but I think not."

"Why?" Merrick asked, watching Cole prowl the area.

"Because someone had to trigger the opening. If it was tuned to Rangers, Cole would have fallen through by now. And I doubt the Orgs waited patiently for her to happen through this area, since it's not even on her way."

"What's wrong?" Taylor asked quietly. Tara shook her head.

"It's nothing…at least, it's nothing you can do anything about. Don't worry about it." Raising her voice, she called, "Cole? Find anything?"

"Nothing. I can't find anything." Taylor winced at the frustration in his voice.

"We know where she is…sort of. Let's go back to the Animarium. Maybe Princess Shayla will be able to think of something." Tara suggested. Merrick looked at her sharply; she knew as well as he did Shayla wouldn't be able to help here.

"What? We can't just leave!" Cole protested.

"We can't do anything from here, Cole. Let's go back." Taylor urged. "Come on." She tugged lightly at his arm. Cole finally nodded, following her away from the others.

Merrick watched until they were out of range before asking quietly, "You still think something's wrong?"

"Other than the obvious? Yeah…he feels weird, somehow. I can't pin it down." She leaned absently against the nearest tree. "He's just…off."

"So you said." Merrick agreed. "I don't see it."

"Maybe we're…" she trailed off.

"Tara?" Merrick frowned.

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing." Merrick sighed. "Why do you do that?"

"Why do you?" Without letting him answer, she went on, "It's nothing important. As soon as we leave here I'll be fine."

"What. Is. It?" Merrick asked very pointedly. Tara sighed and pushed herself upright again.

"See over there?" She pointed. "There's gravel in the grass. It's not part of Earth."

"How is that…" Merrick trailed off, picking up a piece of the gravel. "The pocket dimension."

"Yeah. Must have fallen out. It's…distracting." She shook her head. "Let's just go, OK?"

Merrick nodded, absently rolling the gravel in his hand. "Sure. Let's find the others."

The others were arguing loudly in the middle of the park when Tara and Merrick caught back up. They edged around the fight to where Shayla was standing, looking from Taylor to Cole and back again.

"Princess Shayla. What's going on?" Merrick asked.

"Cole is…upset." Shayla said carefully. "I had to tell him I don't know how to get to a pocket dimension." Tara winced slightly.

"Obviously he enjoyed that…" she trailed off, watching them. Taylor was trying to calm Cole down; it wasn't working very well. Danny and Max were standing helplessly, looking from one to the other.

A faint movement caught Merrick's eye, and when he looked he saw Kite standing nearby.

"Princess Shayla." he murmured. "Kite."

"Where?" She followed his gaze and saw the boy half-hidden behind a tree. "Animus…"

"What do you suppose he wants?" Tara muttered. She flinched as Taylor touched Cole's arm and he threw her off. "OK. Getting sick of this now." She darted forward, sliding neatly in between the two.

"Tara." Cole said very softly. "What are you doing?"

"Calming you down." She shook her head at him. "We know you're worried, Cole. We're all worried. Blowing up at your friends won't help. We're trying to help, OK? Calm down."

The Rangers gathered around the Princess and Merrick, watching as Cole struggled. Tara waited patiently until he looked back up at her. "OK now?" she asked softly.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Good. Kite's over there." She tilted her head slightly to one side.

"What?"

"Kite." She was studying him carefully. "He's probably looking for you…he doesn't talk to any of the rest of us, really."

"Sure." Cole shook his head slightly. "Kite. Right." He turned toward the younger boy, but when Kite saw him coming he scrambled away.

"Kite!" Cole called after him.

"Animus!" Shayla added, and at that Kite paused.

"One here is not what they seem." He looked from one to another of the group. "Beware treachery from within, Rangers."

"What are you talking about?" Cole took another step towards him, but Animus lifted one hand, freezing him in place. The rest of the team was likewise frozen; only Tara and Princess Shayla were free.

"Princess." Animus said softly, and both inclined their heads. Then he faded away and the team collectively jerked as they were freed.

"He didn't freeze Tara because he can't." Merrick said for the _nth _time. "And he didn't freeze the Princess out of…" he hesitated.

"Respect." Taylor filled in. "It doesn't mean anything. It could still be anyone."

"Why wouldn't he tell us?" Cole asked. "Animus must know who it is."

"Maybe he doesn't." Tara leaned back, resting her weight on her hands.

The group was sitting on the Animarium. After Animus' pronouncement, Merrick and Shayla had hustled them all back before allowing any discussion. Cole had very nearly refused to leave the park, but the other Rangers had brought him around and now they were discussing Animus' message.

"He should have told us." Taylor muttered.

"He mightn't know." Tara sat forward again. "Even Animus isn't all-powerful." Taylor glared at her.

"This isn't helping Alyssa." Cole pointed out.

"This is important." Taylor snapped. "We can't help Alyssa if one of us is an Org."

"It might not be an Org." Danny said. Everyone turned to look at him. "Animus only said we weren't who we seemed."

"No…" Max said slowly. "He said we weren't _what _we seemed."

"That's only semantics." Tara rose to her feet, wandering towards the fountain. "When was the last attack?"

"Two days ago." Taylor said. "But we all fought together then."

"No we didn't." Max reminded her. Everyone turned to look at Cole, who was on his feet.

"This is stupid." he spat. "You think I'm an Org?"

"Calm down, Cole." Shayla said. "No one said that."

"We should be trying to find Alyssa." he said again, settling into a sitting position.

"We will." Shayla promised.

"How?"

"I don't know yet." Shayla admitted. "But we will, Cole. I promise."

"We'll figure it out." Taylor added.

"Never give up." Danny put in. Cole nodded slowly.

"Right. Never give up."


	6. Problems

Much shorter than usual. Sorry! 

Dominic, thanks: Add, because she can sense where they walked, even ages later: hey 'wassup yall' thanks for the compliment. TV, huh? Maybe I should submit a script, yeah? There's twelve chapters in this story, which is Book 3: I have up to Book 6 planned. Check out my website and you'll see what's coming up.

My updating may go a bit funny from now on; we're starting late opening in work, so I may have to update on Saturday afternoon or evening instead of Friday evening. Sorry.

Chapter 6: Problems

Alyssa looked up sharply at the sound of footsteps. She could see only a vague figure, and as it moved closer she heard an odd snap-_hiss. _Opposite her, Cole made an odd noise and crumpled to the floor, a small dart in his throat. Alyssa had just enough time to think _What's…_and then there was another snap-_hiss _and everything swirled around and went very dark.

"Tara?"

Tara turned to see Cole behind her. "Cole. I thought you were staying on the Animarium."

"I was. I just…" he shrugged slightly. "I wanted to apologize. For earlier."

"You're upset. It's no big deal."

"I shouldn't have gotten mad at you like that. Or the others."

"Have you talked to them?" Tara started walking again, and he fell into step beside her.

"Yeah."

"And they all said not to worry about it?"

"Yeah…"

"Then don't worry about it."

"You're not making this any easier." he muttered under his breath.

"Not making what any easier?"

"It's…hang on a second." He stooped, bending down to his shoe, and she wandered on a bit, waiting for him.

There was a faint snap-_hiss_…

"Alyssa? Alyssa, wake up. Are you awake? Come on, Alyssa."

"M'awake." Alyssa murmured, pushing away whoever was leaning over her. "What 'sit?"

"Are you awake?" Cole repeated. Alyssa nodded, pushing herself into a sitting position. They were in a larger cell than before, she noted, further from the entrance.

"What happened?"

"He hit us with something that made us sleep." Cole said grimly. "Can you sit up OK?"

"Yeah. What's wrong?" Cole gestured over his shoulder.

"Tara."

"Tara?" Alyssa climbed unsteadily to her feet. "What's…why would he grab Tara if she can't find us anyway? That doesn't make sense."

"I know." Cole was kneeling beside Tara. "She's not hurt, but she won't wake up."

"Oh…" Alyssa knelt on her other side. "But we're cut off from the earth here, right? That's got to be a shock to her system."

"Yeah." Cole muttered. "I guess…" he looked around.

"What?" Alyssa asked.

"I'm trying to figure how long we were out."

Alyssa automatically looked at her watch; it had stopped when she'd arrived here. Wherever 'here' was. "I think about three hours." Cole went on.

"That's not very long." Alyssa murmured.

"No." Cole agreed. "I don't know why he knocked us out, though. It's not like when you came…even if she heard us she couldn't have done anything. Not here." Alyssa shook her head, staring at Tara, who hadn't moved.


	7. More Problems

Author's note: I'm so sorry! I got my chapters mixed up…I won't do it again, I promise!

7 Another Problem

"We have another problem." Merrick said grimly, striding into the temple.

Three days had passed since Alyssa had disappeared. Cole had taken to wandering the park, looking for a way into the pocket dimension; the other Rangers were trying to find other ways in. They'd talked to Wes and Eric, who promised to talk to Time Force; nothing had come of it yet.

"What is it, Merrick?" Taylor asked tiredly.

"Tara is missing."

"Tara's…but she goes off sometimes, right?" Max asked.

"Not in the middle of a fight. Not like this." Merrick said. "I've been calling her, but she's not answering. She hasn't been to work and she hasn't been home." He looked at Princess Shayla. "She would answer me if she could. She won't answer Cole either; I've asked him."

"When did you see her last?" Max asked.

"Here, after Alyssa vanished."

"Has anyone seen her since then?" Taylor asked, looking around the group. Everyone shook their heads. "Great. So now we have two missing people." She glanced at Merrick again. "Any idea how to find her?"

"Not if she doesn't want to be found. Tara's not someone we could sneak up on."

"Yes we could." Cole said from just inside the clearing. He came across and slumped into a chair. "She blocked us from her senses. She can't feel us anymore."

"But she can still hear us?" Merrick asked.

"Yeah, she said she doesn't need to know where we are for that."

"When did she tell you that?" Taylor asked.

"The other day. Before Toxica jumped me." Cole looked away, focusing on the large rock where the Lion customarily slept during the day.

"Then why did you ask her to look for Alyssa?"

"Because she can sense us if she tries. But she has to try." He stood abruptly.

"Cole, where are you going?" Shayla asked.

"Out."

"Where?"

"Just…out." He looked back at them. "I won't leave the Animarium, OK? I just…I have to go."

"OK." Merrick said suddenly. Cole looked at him in surprise before nodding and heading off.

"Merrick?" Taylor asked. Merrick shook his head.

"If it makes him feel better, let him. Have we heard from Wes?"

"Not yet." Danny said quietly.

"We'd better hear from him soon." Max muttered. "Or else Cole's gonna erupt, and he won't be alone."

Cole looked up sharply when Tara's heartbeat changed. Although he generally couldn't hear her very well, there wasn't much else to block the sound here.

"Is she waking up?" Alyssa asked.

"I'm not sure." Cole hunkered next to her. "Tara? Are you awake?"

"I hope so. I'd hate to be dreaming this." Tara murmured. Alyssa smiled, relieved. "Cole?" Tara asked softly.

"Yeah. It's me."

"Really you?"

"Really him." Alyssa knelt beside her. "Are you OK?"

"No. I can't _feel _anything."

"They built this place so you couldn't find us." Cole told her. "It's all plastic and concrete."

"What? No-it's a pocket dimension. Tied to Earth but not part of it."

"How do you know?" Alyssa asked, helping her sit up.

"I was tracking you after you vanished. You disappeared from the middle of the park."

"Tara." Cole touched her shoulder lightly. "Do the others know?"

Tara didn't look at him as she answered. "Animus told us someone wasn't what they seemed. And Merrick is suspicious of…you."

"Why?"

"Because I was, and I told him why."

"And…why were you?" Alyssa asked, when she didn't go on.

"He wouldn't talk to us, and he wouldn't let me touch him…and I could sense him, a tiny bit." She buried her face in her hands. "I hate this! I can't feel _anything_!"

"But-it'll be OK, once you leave, right?" Alyssa asked uncertainly. Tara looked up, eyes very wide.

"I don't _know. _The last time this happened I wasn't blocked like this." She buried her face again, aware that she was crying but unable to do anything about it.

Everything got kind of confusing for a while. As soon as Cole realized she was crying-which didn't take long, since her heart was pounding-he scooted over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The next thing she knew, she was crying all down his front and his arms were wrapped comfortingly around her and _get a grip and stop crying, idiot, that's his _girlfriend _sitting beside you…_

When she managed to gather herself enough to look up, though, Alyssa was smiling gently at her, not seeming at all worried. Tara pushed gently away from Cole, sliding off to sit on the floor.

"All right?" Alyssa asked softly. Tara nodded. 

"I shouldn't have…I mean, I didn't…" Alyssa frowned briefly before she realized what Tara meant.

"Don't worry about that. Are you OK now?"

"Better, anyway. Thanks."

"Tara, can you do anything?" Cole asked.

"Nothing. There's no water, no wood…nothing." He touched her arm, and she looked up at him.

"Are you OK?"

"I'm an Elf. I'm always OK." Cole made a face, and she smiled. "I'm fine, Cole. Really. I'm just tired, I guess."

"You've been asleep for three days." Alyssa pointed out.

"I'm an Elf, Alyssa, but I'm far older than I should be. I draw a lot of power from the Earth. When that power is cut off…I need to readjust."

"Sleep." Cole told her quietly. "We'll wake you if…" he trailed off. Tara nodded quietly and settled into a corner, watching them quietly.

A little later Alyssa came to sit beside her. "You OK?" she asked quietly. Tara nodded, watching Cole pace back and forth in front of the bars.

"You know what I love about Cole?" Tara said suddenly, as though continuing a conversation. Cole glanced across at them but kept pacing.

"What?" Alyssa asked softly.

"He's always the same. Inside, I mean. I mean…he looks at Animus, even now, and sees Kite, and tries to protect him. And he looks at me, and sees…" she trailed off.

"He sees you." Alyssa said quietly. Tara shook her head quickly.

"He sees a little girl, because that's how he saw me first. Even now, now when he knows who I am…he still sees a little girl. It's…oddly comforting, actually."

"You miss your brother." Alyssa said suddenly.

"I do." Tara agreed easily. "It's nice to have another."

"What was he like?"

"My brother? Serious, nearly all the time. It was hard to win his trust…harder to win his respect, but once you had, he never let go. He was the best archer of our time." She glanced up at Cole." And he loved me and took care of me. Even after…I scared him. I could see it in him. But he stayed with me and protected me until I made him leave."

"That must have hurt him." Cole commented.

"Maybe. But I'd rather he were alive there, and angry at me, than dead." She glanced around. "It's really boring in here, isn't it? What have you been doing?"

"Not much of anything." Alyssa said, accepting the change in topic without comment. "We don't get hungry or thirsty or tired in here."

"Really? Weird…feels like I'm about to drop."

"Were you tired when you arrived?"

"I was unconscious when I arrived." She grinned at the look on Alyssa's face and added, "but yeah, before he grabbed me I was pretty tired."

"So nothing changes." Alyssa said slowly.

"Does that mean we won't get older?" Cole asked.

"Let's not be here long enough to find out." Alyssa answered.


	8. Realizations

Author's note: Still don't own them, dagnabit! Hey wassup, glad you're still with me. Q: Do you write on ff.n (or anywhere else) and what's Zen-Aku's little adventure?

Stick with me, it's getting interesting…

Realizations

"You know who it is."

Max's voice surprised Merrick; he'd known someone was there but had been expecting Taylor. In Cole's absence she had assumed command of the team and was determined to root out the impostor.

"No. I have suspicions. That's all."

"Cole." Max said flatly, walking around in front of him. Merrick studied him carefully; the Shark Ranger had a very quick mind and cared deeply for his team-mates.

"Why Cole?"

"Why not Cole? He's been acting weird, he won't morph…"

"His girlfriend vanished and there's been no need." Max shook his head.

"He was acting odd before Alyssa vanished. And the Guardians were monitoring the battle…Wes said Cole wasn't hit by anything they could see. He vanished for a minute, but that's all."

"Vanished?" Merrick repeated.

"Him and the Org. Into a portal. But he came back straight away."

"Do the others know that?" Merrick demanded. Max nodded.

"Wes called just after you left. I don't know if he called Cole though."

Merrick stiffened suddenly, turning slightly. Max frowned. "What is it? Something wrong?"

"Princess Shayla's on earth. And in trouble." he added, morphing and calling his 'cycle. Max immediately followed suit; you didn't question Merrick about the Princess. He was always right.

"Where is she?"

"In the park. Let's go…"

Shayla wasn't actually in trouble when they arrived; two boys were standing between her and Cole, glaring at the Lion Ranger.

"What happened?" Merrick demanded, jumping off his 'cycle.

"That guy was trying to take the lady somewhere." the first boy told him, pointing at Cole.

"Didn't look like she wanted to go, you know?" the other added.

"Thanks for your help." Max told them. "We'll take it from here. You should go…this might get ugly." Cole watched without saying anything.

"Princess, are you all right?" Merrick asked, not looking away from Cole.

"I'm fine."

"Where are Taylor and Danny?" Max asked.

"I have them." Cole spoke up.

"Shut up. You're not Cole." Max said loudly.

"You figured it out. Kid." Cole said, deliberately mocking. Max bristled.

"Don't call me kid!"

"Come and make me."

"Max, stop it." Merrick said quietly. "It's just another Org. OK? Not Cole."

"How could he get Danny?" Max demanded. "Danny's so strong."

"He's an Org." Merrick repeated.

"Plus I have these handy darts to make anyone sleep. See?" Cole produced a blowpipe and shot a dart at the Princess. She had time to gasp before Merrick leaped in front of her, batting it away with the Lunar Cue.

"Max, get the Princess back to the Animarium."

"I can go." Shayla protested.

"He's an Org, Princess, he can teleport." Merrick said grimly. "Max, go."

"Merrick, what about…"

"Just go!" He pushed Max away, glaring at him.

Max nodded, catching at the Princess's hand. "He's right, Princess. Let's go."

"Be careful!" Shayla called to Merrick. Merrick nodded, not watching them go; his attention was on Cole, who'd pulled out his growlphone and was playing with it idly.

"I can't morph, you know."

"So?"

"The fight's unfair."

"And when Toxica makes you several stories high?" Cole grinned.

"Yeah, you have a point there." He looked up from the phone. "You can't defeat me, you know. I mean you might be able to-maybe-but you'd never find your friends then."

"We'd find another way. You're not going to give them up. And you're an Org, and I'm a Ranger. I'm sworn to defeat you."

"There's only one of you."

"One's all I need."

"Maybe." Cole tossed him the phone suddenly. Off-guard, Merrick fumbled it. "We'll find out. But not today, Merrick. I have things to do."

And with that he vanished, leaving Merrick to head back to the Animarium.

"This is getting really old, really fast." Alyssa complained, waking up yet again. "Cole?"

"Here. Tara's still asleep."

"Who did we get this time?"

"Don't know. They're not in here with us."

"Shut up." someone muttered. "Trying to sleep."

"Taylor!" Alyssa cried, joining Cole a careful distance away from the bars.

"Go 'way, Alyssa." Taylor muttered again. Alyssa couldn't see her friend; too dark here, at the very back of the cave.

"Taylor, wake up. You have to wake up."

"Why?"

"Because the crazy Org could be coming back!" Real panic edged Alyssa's tone, and Cole looked at her in surprise.

"Alyssa?" Taylor was properly awake now; her voice was clearer and they could hear her moving. "What's going on?"

"Taylor, don't touch the bars." Cole ordered.

"Why not?"

"They're electrocuted. Are you all right?" Alyssa asked.

"We're fine. What's going on?"

"We?" Cole repeated sharply. "Who else is with you?"

"Danny." Taylor said angrily. "Your stupid Org told us he'd found Alyssa."

"He's not my Org. You thought he was me?"

"No, we knew he wasn't you. We thought we could get him to bring us here."

"You managed that pretty well." Tara said from behind Alyssa and Cole. "Did you have a plan for getting out?"

"Tara." Taylor said in surprise.

"What, you didn't miss me?"

"We missed you…well, Merrick missed you…but we didn't know you were here."

"Surprise, surprise." Tara rose to her feet and came forward, stepping dangerously close to the bars until Cole caught her shoulder. "So _do_ you have a plan for getting out?"

"We weren't supposed to be _in. _Why isn't Danny awake yet?"

"Have you tried waking him?" Tara suggested. "Poke him and see what happens."

"Tara!" Alyssa said.

"What? I wake up when people poke me."

"Should have tried that yesterday then." Cole murmured. "Taylor, are you hurt?"

"No. He hit Danny, though."

"Is he bleeding?" Alyssa asked. The wound on Cole's head bled a little on and off-not enough to put him in any danger, but enough to worry her.

"Um…oops. Hang on…I need to…ow!"

"What?" Cole demanded.

"Banged the bars. Hang on…"

"Taylor, he's awake." Cole said suddenly. There was a faint crunch.

"Yeah. Got that." Taylor's voice was muffled.

"Oh! Sorry, Taylor!" Danny said apologetically. "What's going on?"

"Danny, are you hurt?"

"What? I don't think so."

"Are you bleeding anywhere? It's important." Tara said loudly.

"I'm…my arm is. Why?"

"Damnit." Tara muttered.

"What?" Taylor demanded, still sounding muffled.

"Things don't change in here. If you're bleeding when you come in you stay bleeding." Taylor cursed as well.

"OK. Hang on, Danny, we'll bandage it. Why is it so dark?"

"These places usually are." Tara had slumped to the floor again.

"Hey." Cole hunkered beside her. "Stay with us, OK?"

"Doing my best." she murmured.

"How's that, Danny?" Taylor asked.

"Fine." Danny said, in the it's-not-really-fine-but-I'm-not-going-to-complain tone every Ranger learned sooner or later.

"Liar." Tara muttered. Cole gave her a 'leave it' look, and she grimaced at him but obeyed.

"So now what happens?" Taylor asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine. He doesn't come here much." Alyssa said quietly.

"Wrong." 'Cole' materialized out of the shadows "Oh, don't mind me. Keep going."

"He's…me…" Cole muttered. He hadn't seen the Org up close yet.

'Cole' gave him a disdainful look. "I am an Org. You're just a pathetic _human_."

"You're wrong." Tara said quietly. Intrigued, 'Cole' hunkered down to her eye level, examining her for a moment. She returned the scrutiny calmly.

"You're not afraid of me." he said finally.

"Should I be? You told me once you weren't afraid of me."

"No. _He _told you. _I'm_ an Org." he said with exaggerated patience. "I hurt people for a living."

"No, you're not. At least, maybe you started out that way…but now you're Cole." He stood upright.

"I am not. I am MirrorOrg."

"No, you're Cole. Tell me where the difference is. You know what he knows, you feel what he feels…" She turned her back on him, looking at Cole who was standing very still. "Cole? Would you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Would you listen to his heart, please?"

"Orgs don't have hearts." Danny pointed out.

"That's the point. Please, Cole?" Cole nodded, turning away slightly.

"This is a trick." The Org was backing away. "You're crazy."

"Being totally cut off from the Earth will do that to me." Tara's smile was brittle. "But in this case I'm also right. Cole?" Cole's eyes snapped open.

"He has a heart. I can hear it."

"You're crazy. All of you." The Org was repeating himself, Tara thought vaguely. "I'm an Org! A warrior in the service of General Mandilock."

"So you keep saying." Tara said calmly. "You didn't hurt Cole."

"I need Cole." the Org snarled.

"What for?" He gestured to himself.

"This image is like your glamour, it doesn't last forever. I need Cole so I can keep it up."

"My glamour…never mind. And Alyssa? You didn't hurt her."

"I didn't have time then. I had to get back so the others wouldn't realize."

"And me?"

"You?" he snorted. "Cole doesn't know how to hurt you."

"Good. That was the plan." she said absently. "What about Danny?"

"I don't have to answer any of your questions…I'm in charge here!"

"The only people who ever say that are the ones who aren't in control at all." Taylor commented.

"You shut up!" The Org paced back and forward in front of the cell. Tara watched him calmly.

"You sure about this?" Cole asked quietly, speaking almost straight into Tara's ear. The girl nodded, still watching the Org.

"You're not him, and he's not you…but he is human. Just as much as Zen-Aku, and you fought so hard for him…this person deserves no less." She twitched slightly, reaching up without thinking to rub her ear.

Alyssa came up on Cole's other side. "She has a point…once we knew Merrick was human we tried not to fight him."

"Yeah. We did everything we could to save him." Danny added.

"You remember that, Org?" Taylor called without moving.

"Taylor…" Cole said warningly.

"Of course I remember." the Org said, waving one hand impatiently. "I remember everything Cole does."

"That's my point." Tara said tiredly. "You are human. You are Cole, more or less." He stared at her for a long time before abruptly teleporting away. Tara sagged immediately, dropping to her knees on the floor.

"Tara?" Danny said worriedly.

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

"How did you know?" Taylor asked.

"Mostly I was guessing. But…just before he grabbed me…he'd been apologizing for fighting in the park. I kept telling him not to worry about it, we wouldn't hold it against him. And he said, 'You're not making this any easier.'" She glanced up at Cole. "And he _could_ have killed me. Granted, everything on the planet would have died…but he didn't hurt Taylor or Danny either. And he knows, now, that Merrick and Max know who he is." She grinned tiredly. "Plus I could feel him even more now. He doesn't have your block, Cole."

"But he has a heart." Danny said.

"Yeah. I could hear it." Cole said, looking out of the cage. "He was afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Danny asked. Alyssa shook her head absently, watching Tara.

"Afraid of who?" the Tiger Ranger whispered.


	9. Identity Crises

Author's note: I'm really sorry! I posted the wrong chapter 7! But I have it sorted out now and fixed up, so that's ok. Hey, True Blue, glad you're still with us.

Identity Crises

Merrick stiffened, sensing a presence behind him. Turning, he saw 'Cole' standing some distance away.

"What do you want?" he called.

"I'm not here to fight." 'Cole' said quickly.

"Really." Merrick said flatly.

"If I wanted to fight you, would I be in this form?"

"Cole's a good fighter." Merrick pointed out.

"I'm better." There was no hint of boasting; the Org really did believe he was better.

"What do you want, then?" Merrick asked.

"How did you know?"

"How did I know what?" There was movement behind him; glancing briefly back, he saw Princess Shayla and Max coming out of the trees.

"Me. How did you know I wasn't him?"

"I watched you. You don't act like him."

"But you were looking for that. If Tara hadn't told you…" he trailed off, running his hand distractedly through his hair.

"What happened?" Shayla asked, stepping up beside Merrick.

"Your stupid Rangers!" 'Cole' glared at her. "They're…" he looked at Merrick. "You should have stayed Zen-Aku."

"He doesn't want to be an Org." Merrick whispered, understanding hitting him. "He wants to be Cole."

"I'm an Org!" He sounded slightly desperate. "Cole is a weak, irritating child. I am an Org warrior."

"But you don't have to be." Shayla said. "You can stop fighting. You can be a human."

'Cole' blasted at her, but Max spun her out of the way and he and Merrick morphed, facing down the Org.

Merrick's mind was whirling. Had Zen-Aku wanted to be human? To leave the fight behind?

No. Zen-Aku had wanted answers and revenge, in that order. He'd wanted to know why his memories were so blurred and why the Warriors had attacked him. 

But to be human? To lose the power of his wolf side?

Never.

"No." he said suddenly, relaxing out of his stance and letting his morph fade. "He doesn't _want_ to be Cole. He's _afraid_ of becoming Cole."

"You're as crazy as she is." the Org said.

"No. I've been where you are. Zen-Aku was afraid."

"Zen-Aku was weak!" he crowed. "I am an Org. And the next time we meet, I will destroy you." He vanished in a blaze of light.

Shayla turned to look at Merrick. "Merrick?" Merrick sighed softly, half-turning away. Behind Shayla, Max demorphed, watching quietly.

"Zen-Aku…didn't want to be human. Zen-Aku was powerful and swift and had senses no human could match. If he'd thought the Rangers could actually do it…thought they could defeat him and free me…he wouldn't have played with them like he did." He glanced after the departed Org. "He's afraid to be human. And whoever suggested he could…is going to pay for it."

"How's your arm, Danny?" Cole asked, pacing around the room.

"It's still bleeding." Danny reported. "But it doesn't hurt."

"It's not going to stop." Tara said tiredly. "I haven't stopped feeling tired, have I? And you haven't been hungry or anything."

"No." Cole agreed shortly. "Those aren't life threatening, though."

"Neither is his." Tara pointed out. "Dying's a fairly big change. He's not going to feel weak or tired or anything. It's just going to keep bleeding."

"She's right." Danny offered.

"I know she's right. Doesn't make it any easier."

"Stop pacing." Alyssa said quietly, catching his arm.

"Heads up." Taylor called as 'Cole' appeared with a flash. Cole moved as close to the bars as he dared, glaring at his doppelganger.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Tara." 'Cole' answered briefly.

"What? No way!"

Tara rose to her feet and came forward, stepping around Cole. "What?"

"You…" 'Cole' pointed accusingly at her. "Why did you say those things?"

"Which?"

"I'm not human!" he yelled, stopping in front of her.

"Not yet." she agreed calmly. "But you're getting closer."

"I don't want to be human." he hissed.

"I don't suppose Zen-Aku wanted to be human either. But it's not so bad."

"You wouldn't know." he retorted. Glancing at Cole, he added, "Step back."

Cole glared at him but took a step back, pulling Tara with him. 'Cole' lifted the bars, caught Tara's other arm and pulled her out.

"Tara!" Taylor yelled, but Tara shook off the Org's hand and waited patiently. He sealed Cole and Alyssa in again before turning to look at her.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Tara, _run." _Cole said. She shook her head.

"There's no point, Cole. Can't get out unless he lets me." She hadn't looked away from the Org. "Pocket dimension, remember? He has the key." 'Cole' was staring at her. Abruptly, he caught her arm and pulled her out of view of the others, pushing her to lean against the wall.

"I didn't want to hurt any of you." he said quickly. "Mandilock's about ready to kill me…thinks I should have all their heads by now."

"Mandilock's evil." Tara held up a hand to forestall his 'so am I.' "He doesn't understand. You have all Cole's instincts, and Cole's one of the gentlest people I ever met. You're struggling, aren't you?" He shook his head slightly, and she went on, "Not sure who you are."

"MirrorOrg." he whispered.

"Yeah." She nodded. "But not for very much longer. Not the way you're going." She studied him for a minute. "You remember Tommy? He was evil once. And he had an evil clone once. Both of them turned good. One of the Lightspeed Rangers…you know this." She cut herself off. "Cole and I talked about this."

"I should kill you now." MirrorOrg muttered.

"Wouldn't do you much good. Mandilock's earthbound. Killing me kills him, and you, and Alyssa…" That struck home; she could see MirrorOrg flinch.

"Stop doing that." he said angrily.

"Doing what?"

"Treating me like him! I'm not him!"

"No. What I'm doing is treating you like a human." She let that sink in for a second before adding, "The Rangers were treating you like him, before you started kidnapping them."

"The Rangers are fools." He moved away, pacing in the narrow space. Dimly, Tara could hear Cole and Taylor calling her, but she ignored them to concentrate on the Org in front of her. "All it took was an appearance to fool them. Even you…that I wasn't sure about. We didn't know much about you before now."

"I hear I'm famous in certain circles." She shrugged. "They treated you like that for two reasons. First because you were Cole, and if they hadn't learned how to trust Cole they'd all be dead by now. And second…" she shrugged again. "Because you were Cole. He's the only Ranger who had a chance of figuring it out without hints. He would have not heard your heart."

"He said I have a heart."

"You have now. You didn't then. You're even developing blood."

"Blood…" he lifted one hand, staring at it. "Is that what that is."

"What?"

"That tingling. That's blood?"

"Probably." She looked away, back towards the cells. "So you don't want to kill us…what are you going to do, then?"

"I don't _know._" he said frustratedly. He was shimmering between his real form and Cole.

"You're going to have to do something. Merrick and Max know who you are."

"I know that!" He settled back into Cole's form. "But I don't have to do anything about it yet."

"You don't have long." she whispered. "Mandilock will come for us if you don't."

"You're not making this any easier. I don't want to be human."

"I know. But you can't stop it now. At least, not without killing all of us." He stared, flicking abruptly back to his Org form. "I wish you'd stop doing that."

"Shut up."

"You know I'm gonna die if you keep me here, right?"

"Don't be stupid." He caught her arm, pulling her back towards the cells. "Nothing changes here. We made it that way. No one dies."

"You're wrong." He pushed her against the wall, gesturing Cole and Alyssa back. "You've cut me off from the earth, and that's what sustains me. I need it."

"She's right." Taylor spoke up.

"Yes. Cole remembers that little story too. Very interesting." He pushed her back into the cell. "Just…stay in there."

"Like I have a choice." Cole and Alyssa closed up around her, and Cole gently eased her back behind him. The Org rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt her, Cole! I haven't hurt anyone yet, have I?"

"You hurt Danny." Taylor said.

"And you hurt Cole." Alyssa added.

"I didn't hurt Danny. He tried to get away from me and tripped over Taylor. And Cole's…that's different. Just…" he turned away, vanishing as he moved towards the entrance.

"You OK?" Cole asked Tara, who nodded.

"I really thought I'd gotten him there…he's protecting us from Mandilock."

"He is?" Taylor asked blankly. "Why?"

"Because he's a person, and he has all Cole's beliefs and feelings running around in his head. He _doesn't _want any of us hurt."

"He's not showing it right." Taylor muttered, turning away. Tara rolled her eyes.

"Tara?" Alyssa asked suddenly, as she slid down to sit on the floor.

"Tired." Tara muttered, leaning her head back. Alyssa and Cole exchanged looks over her head.

"All right, Tara." Alyssa said finally, settling next to her. "You go to sleep. We'll wake you if…anything happens."

"You can try." Tara murmured, lying down. Cole shrugged out of his jacket and offered it to her; smiling faintly, she bundled it up and slipped it under her head. Within moments she was fast asleep.

"She's sleeping a lot." Taylor observed.

"She was tired when she came in, so no matter how much she sleeps she's not catching up." Alyssa explained. "And she's cut off from earth…no energy."

"What can we do?" Danny asked.

"Nothing." Alyssa said quietly, looking back down at Tara. "There's nothing we can do."


	10. Resolution

Author's note: Hey Dominic! Thanks for pointing out the mistake in my chapters. Hey True_Blue, glad you're still with me. Not much further now…

Resolution

"Power Rangers! Come out and face me!"

'Cole' was standing in the center of the main street, calling for the Rangers. Putrids swarmed around him, destroying property and attacking people. Behind him Toxica and Jindrax watched, laughing in pure pleasure.

"What do you want?" Merrick called from behind him. 'Cole' turned to look at him.

"I told you I'd destroy you."

"You can try." Merrick responded.

"Merrick!" Max ran up. "You OK?"

"Yeah." He looked back at 'Cole'. "Let the others go!"

"Nope. You're gonna have to fight me for them."

"What do you mean?" Max asked.

"If you defeat me, they'll be released."

"I don't trust him." Merrick murmured. "If we defeat him we may never get them back."

"Tara's not doing so well." 'Cole' commented. "I don't know how much longer she's going to last." Merrick hissed faintly.

"If you're that worried, let her go!" Max yelled.

"I told you, you have to fight me for them. Are you prepared to do that?"

"We're Power Rangers." Max said. "We're always ready to fight Orgs."

"Max…" Merrick said.

"We don't have a choice, Merrick." Max said quickly. "We're risking the others either way, but we're Rangers. We can't let this Org run around hurting people just because we might not get our friends back."

"I know, but…" Merrick hesitated, looking back at 'Cole'.

"Look, Danny's my best friend. He wouldn't want this guy running around when we could stop it." Max said. Merrick nodded.

"You're right. Let's do it! Wild Access!"

The Putrids, as usual, were dealt with quickly enough, and Merrick and Max faced off against 'Cole'. He hadn't shifted back to his real form yet, and Merrick found that odd.

"Max, wait. Something's wrong here."

"What?" Max asked, not looking away from 'Cole'.

"He told me he wouldn't fight that way." Merrick murmured, trying desperately to remember the conversation. He'd been concentrating on not attacking during most of it, so he didn't remember a lot of it. "If he wanted to fight, he'd be himself, not Cole."

"Just checking what this body can handle." 'Cole' said. Max looked at him irritably.

"Will you stop listening to us?" he demanded.

"No, I really don't think I will. Were you planning on fighting, at any point?"

Max obliged, and they exchanged blows for several moments. Merrick watched, feeling oddly disconnected from events. That was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Don't feel like fighting, Wolf?" 'Cole' was standing almost directly in front of him; Max was picking himself up, shaking his head. Toxica and Jindrax hadn't moved, watching from behind them.

"I'm not the one who doesn't feel like fighting." Merrick answered, slipping easily into a stance.

"You always complicate things. You're good, I'm bad. You can't leave it like that?"

"No!" Merrick parried a blow. "You're wearing the face of one of my friends. A friend who fought to free me from Zen-Aku. I'm not going to do any less for you."

"You're missing the point _again, _Merrick." The next blow was desperate; Merrick blocked it without effort, throwing the Org backwards. "You wanted to be human. I don't."

"I don't think you have a choice." Merrick murmured, and he saw 'Cole' flinch. Merrick aimed a blow that 'Cole' caught; for a moment they stood, straining together, and Merrick said very quietly, "I don't care what you want. I'm not doing this for you." 'Cole' frowned, and Merrick laughed…a very nasty sound. "Max can do this for whatever reason he wants. I don't care about you. I'm fighting for Cole, and Tara and the others." He shoved 'Cole' back and parried a couple of fairly desperate blows.

"You're not even trying!" 'Cole' accused him.

"OK. When the Org starts giving us fighting tips, I know I shouldn't've gotten up." Max stumbled slightly as he rejoined Merrick.

"Are you all right?" Merrick asked.

"Are there two of you?"

"No!"

"Then no, I don't really think so."

Merrick glanced at 'Cole', who had pulled back and was glaring at them. "Stay here, Max. I want to try something."

"Try what?" Max asked.

"Just stay here. Keep Jindrax and Toxica away from us." Merrick approached 'Cole', demorphing as he went.

"Uh…Merrick?" Max called from behind him.

"Just stay there, Max!" Merrick called without looking away.

"Now what?" 'Cole' asked. "Are we going to fight unmorphed?"

"No." Merrick was studying him carefully. "You said I wanted to be human."

"You did."

"_I_ did, yes. But I was always human. Zen-Aku was in control, and he would never have wanted to be human." He hesitated; when 'Cole' didn't react, he went on. "All I wanted was to be free of Zen-Aku. He was evil, pure evil, and all I wanted was the chance to make my own choices. To choose for myself which side to fight on, not to follow because I was forced to."

"Are you," 'Cole' asked through gritted teeth, "going to fight me?" Merrick considered him for another moment.

"No. I don't think so." Almost under his breath, he added, "You're not worth it."

Max called from where he was fighting the two Dukes. "We don't have to be enemies. You can join us."

"What, be a Ranger? I'm an Org!"

"So was I, once." Merrick pointed out.

"Merrick?" Princess Shayla's voice came from behind them, and Merrick half-turned to look at her.

"Princess. What are you doing here?"

"I sensed something, and I wanted…" she broke off as she caught sight of 'Cole'. "It's true." she breathed.

"What's true?" Max asked.

"Do something, Toxica!" Jindrax yelled.

"There's nothing to do." she half-snarled, dealing Max a blow that sent him back several feet and grabbing Jindrax's coller. "Come on; we've got to get out of here."

"Mandilock's not going to be happy with us…" Jindrax muttered, following Toxica as best he could.

Merrick had been watching Shayla; he smiled faintly after a moment. "He's not an Org anymore, is he."

"No." Shayla agreed.

"You're crazier than your Rangers." 'Cole' said loudly.

"No, Cole." Shayla said, and he flinched; no one had called him Cole for some time. "You're not an Org." She stepped forward and reached for his hand; his eyes widened, but he didn't move. "You're human."

"I don't _want _to be human." he whispered.

"It wouldn't have happened if some part of you didn't want it." Merrick said quietly.

"It's Cole's memories, isn't it." Max said, limping up to join them. "You saw how we really act…that we're not bad…and you wanted it."

"I can't be human." he said quietly. "Who am I going to be? Cole?"

"Be yourself." Shayla said.

"And start by letting our friends go." Merrick added.

"Your friends…" 'Cole' mused. "His friends."

"His." Merrick agreed. "Ours. Yours, if you let them."

"Friends." he said again.

"Cole." Shayla said quietly. "You must let them go. Please." 'Cole' nodded slowly.

"He trusts you, you know." he said, _apropos_ of nothing. "More than anyone else, he trusts you." 

Shayla smiled. "I trust you." 'Cole' looked away.

"I'll get your friends for you. Wait here."

"They won't come with you." Max said. 'Cole' looked back at him.

"They'll come. Just wait here."

Five minutes later he was back, carrying Tara and pursued by everyone else. He bundled her into Merrick's arms and backed off a bit, watching warily as Merrick and Shayla did some very fast talking.

"He's human." Tara said irritably, squirming out of Merrick's arms. "Put me down, Merrick." she added.

"You look like you're about to collapse." Merrick protested, letting her down.

"No Earth." She leaned against him for a second, then she pushed away and wobbled over to 'Cole'. "He's human. Put up or shut up." she announced flatly to the others.

"He nearly killed you!" Taylor protested.

"That was an accident." 'Cole' offered. "I didn't know that would happen."

"We told you. Several times." Taylor pointed out.

"He had other things to think of then." Tara muttered.

"So what do we do with him?" Taylor asked.

"Cole?" Shayla asked. "It's up to you." Cole stared at him for a long time.

"Can you look like someone else, or do you have to be me?"

"I can be someone else."

"Then do. And do whatever you want. Live here, leave the city…just do it on your own terms."

"You'd…let me live here?" he asked in surprise. Cole blinked.

"You're a person. You get to make your own choices. Just…don't do it as me."

"If I can touch each of you, I can create a new appearance. One that won't be anyone else. And I can bind it so it'll stay."

Cole looked around at the other Rangers: no one seemed inclined to move, until Alyssa stepped forward.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"Just a touch." She held out her hand, and 'Cole' touched her lightly. Following her example, each Ranger came forward; 'Cole' touched each lightly, thanking them as they stepped back.

"No, Princess," he said when she stepped forward, "the power of Animaria makes it impossible for me to copy you. But thank you." he added, glancing around. Tara was sitting some distance away, eyes closed; she quite obviously had no intentions of moving. Sighing softly, he closed his eyes and shimmered, changing. When he opened his eyes again, he looked totally different; shorter, with blond hair and darker skin. Looking at Cole, he said quietly, "The memories go with the shape. I don't remember them all." Cole nodded, crossing to hunker beside Tara, who still hadn't moved.

"So what do we call you now?" Danny asked. "Not Cole."

"No." he agreed. "I don't know. I hadn't…"

"Connor." Everyone turned to look at Tara.

"What?" Merrick asked.

"Connor." She looked up, refocusing. "Call him Connor."

"Why?" Alyssa asked.

"Why not?" Tara looked at Cole. "I want to go home, Cole."

"Why Connor?" he asked softly.

"Memories, Cole. Just memories." She looked away, wrapping her arms across her front. "Please take me home."

"We'll take her." Max said, tapping Danny's arm lightly.

"Is that OK, Tara?" Cole asked. Tara nodded vaguely, not even really seeming to hear him. "Tara."

"Yes, Cole." she snapped. "It's fine. I just want to go."

"{Stop that.}" Merrick said sharply.

"Don't push me, Merrick." She didn't bother using Animarian, and the Rangers looked uncertainly at each other. "Max? Can we go?"

"You can't feel the earth yet, can you." Connor said quietly. She ignored him, still looking at Max.

"Tara." Cole said softly.

"Not…now, Cole." Tara said very deliberately. "All right? Just let me go home."

Cole glanced at Merrick, who shrugged helplessly. "All right. Max, Danny?" The three started off; Tara, however, simply couldn't keep up, and eventually Danny picked her up and carried her.

"What just happened?" Taylor asked, once they were out of hearing range.

"She can't feel the earth yet." Connor said. "It throws her off."

"And you know this how?" Taylor asked. Connor looked at her, surprised.

"I don't remember Cole's memories but I did live on the Animarium, Eagle. I know her."

"No one knows Tara." Merrick muttered. "Not really. Not fully. What are you going to do now, Connor?"


	11. Aftermath

Author's note: Hey guys! Dominic and True_Blue, if you mean why she picked that name you'll have to wait and see. We're nearly at the end of Old Faces…but don't worry, the Rangers'll be back in the next interlude.

Aftermath

Tara's back door wasn't locked; Merrick held it for Shayla and left her in the sitting room while he went looking for Tara. She was sitting on the stairs, looking upwards. Merrick stopped just below her. "Tara?"

"I'm trying to decide if it's worth going upstairs." She didn't sound particularly surprised at his presence. "Who came with you?"

"Princess Shayla." He moved slightly, trying to see her face. "You couldn't tell?"

"I heard you, not sensed you. No sensing."

"Nothing?"

"Elven. Nothing like I'm used to." She shook suddenly, almost falling off her step until he caught her.

"Tara…"

"Thariin." He took a deep breath.

"All right. Thariin. What's wrong?" She turned at that to stare disbelievingly at him.

"I just told you, Merrick. I can't _sense _anything."

"Forever?"

Tara shrugged slightly. "Don't know. This has never happened to me before. I hope not." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I really hope not."

"Tara…"

"Go away. Please."

"No." he said firmly. Tara sank to the step, eyes wide. Shayla came into the hall, looking questioningly from one to the other, but she didn't speak.

"No." Merrick repeated. "Not like this."

"_Please _go away." Tara rested her forehead against the banister.

"Tell me what's wrong." Merrick hunkered beside her.

"How can you ask that? You were blind, Merrick. You don't remember? This…lost feeling? The helplessness?" Shayla looked sharply at Merrick.

"I remember." Merrick acknowledged.

"I don't know who I am. Thariin…Thariin would have died after the war. Without the earth, who am I?"

"You are…" Merrick hesitated.

"You see?" Tara laughed bitterly. "Even you don't know who I am."

"I know who you are." Merrick contradicted her. "I was just wondering which name to use."

"I know which name to use." Shayla said, moving slightly so Tara could see her. "Deirbhile."

"Don't…call me that." Tara said tightly.

"Why not?" Shayla asked. Merrick looked down at her, and she explained, "Tara's first night on the Animarium, she talked in her sleep."

"Deirbhile." Merrick repeated. "It's a good name."

"It _was _a good name." Tara corrected him bitterly. "It's not anymore." Catching hold of the banisters, she pulled herself to her feet. Merrick rose as well. "I'm going upstairs."

"Not leaving you alone." Merrick said quietly, and she almost smiled.

"The Princess will have to go back to the Animarium some time, Merrick. You're her protector, not mine."

"No, I'm your friend."

"Just…take her home, and let me try and get used to this. Please?"

"Tara." he said, helplessly.

"You didn't cry in front of me, Merrick. Don't make me cry in front of you. Take the Princess home. I'm not going anywhere."

Merrick started to say something but Shayla caught his arm, and he paused long enough for her to say, "We're going, Tara, but we will be back."

"Of course you will." Tara said dully. "I'll be here." Shayla nodded quietly, and Tara went upstairs, leaving them to do whatever they wanted.

"We shouldn't have left." Merrick said again. "She didn't leave me."

"It's not the same thing." Shayla said patiently.

"It is the same thing! She even told me so!" Merrick protested.

"No, it's not." Shayla said again. "You lost your sight, Merrick. Tara has lost what makes her _her, _and she needs time to adjust to that."

"But…she will get them back, right?" Alyssa asked.

"I don't know." Shayla admitted. "I know very little about Tara's powers, only what you all know. I hope so, for all our sakes."

"There's nothing happening to the earth." Max said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Cole asked.

"While Tara was in the other dimension there was some weird stuff going on. Earthquakes and floods, stuff like that. But once you all came back it all stopped."

"So she's doing something." Taylor said thoughtfully.

"She's always been able to sense." Merrick said quietly. "And whatever she's doing I don't think she's doing it on purpose."

"She certainly thought she was cut off." Shayla agreed.

"I'll go talk to her." Cole offered. "She might listen to me." Shayla nodded quietly.

"Good luck." Max called after him.

Tara's back door was still unlocked; Cole let himself in and headed upstairs. Tara was sitting on her bed, staring out the window, and she didn't turn when he came in.

"Tara." he said quietly.

"Cole." She turned to look at him, and he was struck by how calm she looked. "Is everyone all right?"

"Every…are _you_ all right?"

"Fine." Seeing his look, she added, "Honestly. Yelling at Merrick made me feel much better. Is he all right?"

"He's worried about you."

Tara looked away. "He needn't. It's not like this is the first time this has happened."

"He's your friend."

"So he said. How is everyone?"

"We're fine. Why do you keep asking that?"

"Because I'm fairly sure you're not fine, Cole. Someone wearing your face terrorized your girlfriend and all the rest of your friends for the past week, almost, and none of them realized he wasn't you until he went critical and started kidnapping people left right and center. I'm pretty sure you're not fine."

"He wasn't me." Cole said quietly. "You said it yourself."

"I know he wasn't, Cole. I didn't say he was. Just that he had your face." She glanced up at him. "I should've known the difference."

"You had no reason to think he wasn't me." Cole reminded her. "He fought Jindrax and Toxica? We've all done that, even you. He was tired after a fight? That's always true. There wasn't anything he did that I wouldn't."

"Until he started kidnapping people." Tara murmured. Cole laughed, ducking his head.

"Until then."

"How is Alyssa?" Tara asked. Cole stilled, watching her reflection in the window.

"I haven't seen her. Not alone, anyway. Taylor's sticking with her."

"Can't blame her, can you?" Tara asked idly. Cole didn't answer, and she turned to look him straight in the face. "Your Rangers love you, and they trust you. But Alyssa…there is something special there. Connor has hurt that bond, bent it out of shape, but he didn't kill anything. Not if you don't let him."

"I don't know how to fix this." Cole admitted softly.

"Be yourself. Don't treat her differently than normal." Catching the faint frown on his face, she added, "If you do anything out of the ordinary she'll immediately think you're Connor. Just…act like always."

"You still sound like Tara." he muttered.

"Some reason I shouldn't?"

"Merrick told me…"

"Oh." she interrupted him. "Don't worry about that."

Cole looked up at her. "Why not?"

"I feel much better now." She glanced up, smiling. "I can't sense, exactly, but I _can _feel something…something I couldn't then."

"You're getting better?"

"I'll be able to sense again, some time."

"When?" Cole asked.

"I don't know. But I can wait, Cole. If I know it will happen I can wait."


	12. See you later'

Author's note: Anna! I meant to thank you for the first review, but I got distracted while I was writing last's week's waffle…I mean note. Thanks, and stay with us. Things start getting interesting in the next Book.

Dominic and True_Blue: What would I do without you guys?

Chapter 12: 'See you later'

A month passed. Tara went back to work after the first week; her control still wasn't back then, but she refused to stay in the house anymore. The Rangers traded off staying with her during nights; the only person who didn't come near her was Merrick.

For the most part, she was back to herself; there were times when she seemed more distant towards them. Max christened those her 'Thariin phrases' and refused to be corrected. As time went on, though, they became fewer and further between.

Connor stayed in Turtle Cove for two weeks; at the end of that time he left, destination unknown.

"Tara? You home?" Alyssa called, closing the door behind her and shrugging out of her backpack.

"In the kitchen!" Tara called. Alyssa pushed open the door and stopped dead.

Tara was buckling the straps on a backpack, not looking up at her. "Sensed you coming."

"That's good." Alyssa responded automatically. "What are you…"

Tara looked up, pushing the backpack away a bit. "I have to go, for a while."

"Go? Where?"

"Away. There are some things I need to take care of, now my powers are coming back."

"Things you can't do from here?"

"Yeah. I won't be long, and I'll keep an eye on you."

"What kind of not long?" Tara grinned.

"A few months, probably. Maybe a little longer." She hefted the backpack, hesitated, and turned back to look at her. "Merrick and Cole will try to talk to me. The way we do."

Alyssa nodded quickly; though everyone could do it if they had to, only Cole and Merrick were really any good at talking to Tara that way.

"They might not get me. These things I have to…I might be out of touch. Will you tell them for me?"

"Of course. Are you going to say goodbye?"

"I'd rather not; it's not forever, but I really need to get going and they won't want me to. You know that." Alyssa nodded slowly; Tara was almost rambling, in a way she hadn't since Connor had left. "Would you do me a favor?" Tara went on.

"Of course."

Tara pulled an envelope out of her bag. "Give this to Cole for me. Tell him to read it on the Animarium, when everyone's there."

"It might be a while." Alyssa warned her.

"It'll keep. Please, Alyssa?" Alyssa nodded, taking the envelope from her. "And remember what I said."

"You'll be gone for a while and you might be out of contact." Alyssa recited. "I'll remember."

"Thank you." Tara looked at her for a minute. "He loves you, you know."

"I know." Tara smiled.

"I'll see you, Alyssa."

"See you."

"Because she wouldn't let me call you. Or anyone."

Merrick grunted, turning away. "Where is she going?"

"She didn't say. Just that she had to go."

"And she will be out of contact?"

"She said she might be." Merrick nodded.

"Thank you for coming to tell me."

"Merrick…" Alyssa said helplessly. Merrick didn't stop or look back at her, instead walking quickly away.

Alyssa delivered the message and letter to Cole, who took the news only a little better than Merrick had. Taylor didn't seem at all surprised, but the others were upset to hear she'd left.

"You don't look surprised, Taylor." Cole said almost accusingly.

"She's not happy. You couldn't tell?" Taylor asked. "She hasn't been happy since MirrorOrg."

"Because she couldn't touch the earth." Max said. "But she can now."

"No, it's more than that." Taylor insisted.

"Taylor is right." Shayla said quietly. "Something has greatly upset Tara and if she needs to leave to understand it then let her." Cole looked down at the envelope in his hands, frowning.

"I don't see why she has to leave."

"Maybe that'll tell us." Max suggested, pointing at the envelope. "What's it say, Cole?"

"She said to open it when everyone was here." Alyssa said quickly.

"We'll wait." Cole said.

"For Merrick?" Danny asked. "Why not call him?"

"He's working." Shayla said quietly. "Perhaps he would come tomorrow."

"I'll go ask him tomorrow." Cole promised.

It was almost two weeks before the Rangers could persuade Merrick up to the Animarium. He gave no reason for his refusal, mostly just saying he couldn't. Cole and Alyssa kept at him, though, and the day Princess Shayla came down to ask him he capitulated and went back with her.

They settled around the fire, and Cole pulled the envelope, now slightly the worse for wear, from his pocket. He opened it carefully and drew out several pieces of paper. Glancing briefly at them, he passed them around the circle, holding one back for himself.

"Dear everyone," he started after a minute. "Please don't be angry with me for not telling you I was going. I was afraid you'd talk me out of it. Worse, I was afraid I'd let you talk me out of it.

"I'm not telling you where I'm going. If you need me I'll be there. But for now, I have to go. There are things I need to do, and I'm going to do them.

"There should be a note for everyone, Cole. Hand them around. You can read them whenever you want.

"Remember, I may be out of contact, so _don't worry. _I'll be keeping an eye on you." Cole hesitated. "The rest of it's private." he announced, folding the paper back up. Alyssa, Danny and Max were scanning their notes: Taylor had apparently read hers and was staring at the fire. Merrick was looking at his still-folded note, and Shayla was looking at Merrick.

After a minute Merrick rose to his feet, still clutching his note. "I have to go." He bowed briefly to the princess, turned, and walked out of the clearing.

Alyssa moved out of the jungle and stopped, looking around. Cole was seated at the top of the cliff, staring out over the Animarium.

"Cole?" Alyssa called, shading her eyes to look up. Cole rose to his feet and a few moments later he landed beside her in a spray of gravel.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No. You've been out here all morning, so I thought you might be thirsty." She held out a bottle of water, and he smiled, taking it from her. "Cole?"

"Yeah."

"What was in your letter?" He hesitated, lowering the bottle to look at her.

"Why?"

"Mine was…about you. Sort of."

"How so?" She nodded slightly; she'd brought up the question, after all.

"That…I shouldn't expect you to forgive me right away." She sat on a nearby rock, twining her hands in front of her. "I knew Connor was acting oddly. I knew it wasn't the way you'd act. But I just put it down to Toxica's weapon. Maybe if I'd paid attention…"

"She said I should forgive you." Cole's voice cut across hers, and she looked up to see him staring out at the lake. "All of you, but you especially. Because she couldn't tell the difference, and Connor doesn't even have blood…or he didn't then. And she could sense him. She said, since there was no reason for you to think he wasn't me, I shouldn't be blaming you."

"Do you believe her?" Alyssa asked very softly, giving Cole the option of ignoring her if he wanted.

"I didn't need her to tell me that." He turned, crouching in front of her. "Connor would have fooled me. He _was _me. Tara said it…"

"No." Alyssa said firmly. "He's not you, Cole."

"He was then." Cole shook his head. "That's not important. I don't blame you, Alyssa. I don't think I ever did." Alyssa smiled, brushing a tear away from her face.

"Thank you." She looked up. "Was that really in your letter?"

"Some of it. Yours?"

"No. Not really."

"What was in yours?" Alyssa shook her head.

"It's all very…vague. A lot of stuff about building bridges."

"Bridges where?"

"Between hearts." He smiled at her.

"I think we have that covered."

Merrick read his note for the fifth time. It was very short.

__

Merrick,

Please don't be angry with me. I have to go. I can't stay in Turtle Cove anymore.

Don't come after me…I need this.

Look after the Princess.

Tara.

She had written it in Animarian, knowing he'd read it easier than English. Princess Shayla had confirmed hers was also in Animarian but declined to tell him what was in it. Since he hadn't told her his he couldn't complain.

Merrick shifted slightly, laying one hand against the ground. He'd been doing this on and off for nearly an hour now; Tara hadn't responded and he could get no sense of her.

__

Whatever you're doing, Tara, he thought, sending it with as much force as he could, _Do it quickly and come back to us. We'll help you._

Come back to us.

Author's Note: Not my usual style of ending, but putting a happy ending here would have ruined the next one. Anyway, the Cole/Alyssa bit was nice, I thought. R&R!


End file.
